All of Third Street, All of NYC

Using song, language, movement and instruments, every child participating in Third Street’s Music & Movement program is encouraged to “be their own instrument” – to develop the creativity within by sharing ideas, improvising rhythms and melodies and creating movements to accompany songs throughout the year. Students will develop a wide repertoire of songs and gain a basic understanding of pitch matching, following the beat, reading notation and creating rhythmic and melodic patterns while celebrating the seasons and exploring music from different cultures around the world. All activities promote positive self-image, social interaction, and offer an uplifting experience; contributing to the social-emotional education each student deserves. These foundational years prepare students for further studies in music and dance and may conclude with a school performance or ‘music share’ for family and friends.

Violin, viola, and cello students practice proper posture and bowing technique, learning simple tunes using various approaches. With a focus on student composition through the exploration of folk music, students put together a unique performance for their families and school communities at the end of the year.

In African Percussion, students are introduced to traditional West African music and culture. They learn the fundamentals of rhythm, time signatures, and call and response as they acquire the techniques involved in playing the djembe, a West African hand drum, and the doun doun, or African stick drum. Students perform their pieces in an ensemble for their friends and family at the conclusion of this program.